Salamanders are natives of the elemental plane of Fire, and thus they thrive in hot places. These cruel, evil creatures come to the Prime Material plane for reasons known only to them.

The head and torso of a salamander is copper-colored and has a human-like appearance. Most of the time (80%), this aspect is a male, with flaming beard and moustache. The female version has flowing, fiery red hair. Both aspects have glowing yellow eyes that sometimes switch to fluorescent green. All aspects carry a shiny metal spear, resembling highly polished steel.

The lower torso is that of a large snake, with orange coloring shading to dull red at the tail end. The entire body is covered with wispy appendages that appear to burn but are never consumed.

Combat: A salamander typically attacks with its metal spear, which inflicts 1d6 points of damage plus a like amount for the spear’s heat. At the same time, it can lash out and coil around an opponent with its snake-like tail, constricting for 2d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage from the heat of its body. While fire-resistant creatures do not suffer from the salamander’s heat damage, they are still subject to the spear and constriction damage.

Salamanders can be affected only by magical weaponry or by creatures of a magical nature or those of 4+1 or more Hit Dice. They are impervious to all fire-based attacks. Sleep, charm, and hold spells are ineffective against them. Cold-based attacks cause an additional 1 point of damage per die of damage.

The head and upper body of the salamander has an AC of 5, while the lower body is AC 3.

A favorite salamander tactic, if the creature is encountered in a lava pit or roaring fire, is to grab its opponents and hurl them into the flames. The victim would naturally take damage from contact with the salamander, then take even more from being thrown inside a roaring conflagration.

Habitat/Society: Salamanders are native to the elemental plane of Fire. They come to the Prime Material plane for reasons known only to them, though it is rumored that powerful wizards and priests of certain religions can summon them for a short time. Salamanders hate cold, preferring temperatures of 300 degrees or more; they can abide lower temperatures for only a few hours. Their lairs are typically at least 500 degrees. Any treasure found there is the sort that can survive this heat, such as swords, armor, rods, other ferrous items, and jewels. Things of a combustible nature, such as parchment and wood, soft metals such as gold and silver, and liquids, which quickly boil away, are never found in salamander lairs.

Having a nasty disposition and an evil bent, salamanders respect only power, either the ability to resist their fire or the capability to do great damage. Anyone else is dealt a painful, slow, burning death. It is rumored that they have some sort of dealings with the efreeti.

When encountered on the Prime plane, salamanders can be found playing in forest fires, lava flows, fire pits, and other areas of extreme heat. They usually appear on the Prime plane for a purpose, and if in the middle of a task they do not take kindly to being interrupted.

Ecology: These fiery creatures’ ichor is useful in the creation of potions of fire resistance, and the metal of their spears can be used to create rings of fire resistance.

Fire Snake

Some sages say that fire snakes are larval salamanders. Fire snakes, colored in shades from blood-red to orange, are always found in fires. Some large permanent fires contain 1d6 of these creatures, though in smaller, temporary fires like fire pits and oil bowls, there may be but one snake. The only treasure the snakes have is the gems they often accumulate.

Since their color matches their surroundings, they can surprise opponents easily (-4 penalty to opponents’ surprise rolls). Their bite inflicts 1d4 points of damage and injects a mild venom that causes paralyzation of the victim for 2d4 turns unless a saving throw vs. poison is successful.